The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-19
THE POSTAL SERVICE.

What Is Shown by the Report of Second
Assistant Postmaster-Generai Knott.
WAsHINGToN, Nov. 1S.-The annual report OF
A. l.. Knott, Second Assistant Postmaster-gsn-
eral. shows that the total cost of the year was
S29 SO6 sos. In the star service there was an in
crease of 615 routes, and decrease in cost Of
s252, CAT. In the mail-messeneer service there
was an increase of 163 routes and decrease o {
So. 311 in cost In the railroad service there
an increase of 7.o15 miles in length of routeg
and increase in cost of 1854, 500. In the star
and steamboat service there was average in
crease in the number of miles travelled during
the last year over the average OF the six pre-
ceding years Of so per cent. and decrease In
the cost of Is per cent in the star service, and
a decrease of 81 per cent in the cost of the
steamboat service.
The next quadrennial weighing takes place in
the second section, embracing the States Of
North Carolina, South Carolina. Georgia, Flor
ida. Alabama, Mississippi. Tennessee kentucky,
Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. A large increase
in the weight of mails is anticipated in this
tioE and consequent increase in the rate of
cost therefor. This probable increase is put at
il DER cent on the present rate of cost of rail-
road transportation in that section. The in
crease in the number of pieces OF mail handled
by the postal clerks during last fiscal year
the preceding year was 50o, .O00 The con-
tinuation of the appropriation for special mail
recommended. The total amount of the estimates
submitted to meet the requirements of the Office
of the Second Assistant Postmaster-generalf for
the fiscal year 1S8S-S9 is $31, ,635, 065.
The report closes with a strong recommenda
tion in favor of a change in the method of pay
ing railroads for mail transportation. It il
maintained that the railway service has out
grown the old method of adjusting the pay OF
railroads, and it is recommended that space bs
substituted for weight as the basis and criterion
of the compensation of railroads, and it is
fidently believed that such change will be more
economical 30 the government and more eQuit
able In the transactions between the department
and the railroads, and mere satisfactory to both.
The annual report of Col j. E. Bates. super
intendent OF the free-delivery system of tho
Postoffce Department, shows that since July L.
1863 the number of free delivery Offices has ins
creased from &c to IS9, and the number of
riers employs from 655 to 5.310. The cost Of
the for the last fiscal year 81 6l8 692,
an increase of $500, 1856 over the previous year.
The report shows that during the year the
riers delivered and collected 2 234. 564 Csc pecef
of mail matter, increase during the year Of
over 2S5, 900, 600 pieces The average cost per
piece for handling the mails at free delivery of
fees was mills, decrease of 8. 09 per cent.
during the year. At the following named Officer
the local postage exceeded the cost of the serv-
ice by over SO. 600: Boston, S193, $50; Brook
lyn, 500 AL Chicago. 1892. sos; New York,
S., ,2SO. .506; Philadelphia, $567 109; ST. Louis,
500 537; San Francisco. $4,000; Buffalo, S25. .449.
Cincinnati, $19. 800; Denver, 20,075; Kansas
City. SI4, 1872; Milwaukee, Sl2, 915; New Haven,
(Conn.l S12.659; Omaha, $l2. 600; Pittsburg,
$40, l40; St Paul. SIC, ,435.